Opportunity: Royal Theatrical Support Trust Director Award for emerging directors

Royal Theatrical Support Trust Director Award for emerging directors launched with Sheffield Theatres

The Royal Theatrical Support Trust (RTST), and Sheffield Theatres have announced a new award scheme for emerging directors: the RTST Director Award Scheme.

The new scheme, launched by the RTST – a charity dedicated to promoting theatre and drama – in collaboration with Sheffield Theatres, will offer the chance for an emerging director to create and direct a fully-funded production of a play by an internationally renowned dramatist at a selected regional theatre. In its inaugural year, the successful candidate for the award will direct their chosen play at the Crucible Studio Theatre, as part of Sheffield Theatres’ 2017 spring season.

The winner of the RTST Director Award 2016 will be chosen by a selection panel chaired by Daniel Evans, the current Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres and Artistic Director-designate of Chichester Festival Theatre.

Daniel will be joined on the panel by Sir Ian McKellen, Dawn Walton, Richard Wilson and Penelope Wilton.

Chairman of the RTST, Sir Geoffrey Cass, said: “This exciting new award scheme reflects the mission of the RTST to support British theatre in multiple ways: it will boost the career of an emerging director; provide meaningful financial and promotional support to a regional theatre; facilitate a production for a regional audience; and promote the work of an internationally renowned dramatist.”

Daniel Evans, Artistic Director at Sheffield Theatres, said: “The award itself will offer an incredible opportunity to one of the UK’s emerging directors. Such opportunities are, frustratingly, all too few. It’s edifying to know our collaboration will offer the winner a professional, practical and prestigious experience in one of the country’s most exciting theatre spaces.”

Entries for the RTST Director Award Scheme 2016 are now open. To enter, and for further details of the award, please visit the RTST’s website: www.rtst.org.uk.

Rebekah is a theatre writer, arts marketer and researcher who works in Digital Marketing at the Bush Theatre. She was Marketing Manager at AYT (2015-16). She’s also committed to all things green (avocados, plants, environmental sustainability).